Anyone ever make a cast and put some electrical tape on the line when skipping? I�m working on it but fluoro is expensive and I�m going through it getting bird nests.

If you are learning, definitely use the tape trick. Better to learn where there aren't any waves and a lot of clearance.

Change to a rod with braid while you learn

Is it easier to skip with braid?

20lb mono on a Heavy Fast or MH Fast and 3/8ths or 1/2oz jig and when you have that down switch to fluoro

I think it's easier.

A calm day and try to go to a boat dock lake when the water is down a foot or two.. gives you more clearance and room to practice then when the water comes up you got it down

Practice at home too. Get a jig you don't care if it takes a beating and skip it down the driveway. It's not a whole lot unlike the water. That's how I got proficient enough to skip under the docks around Conroe.

Don't use flouo, at least when learning, I find co-polymer is more friendly. Also, don't fill your spool all the way to the top. It still takes me some time to get the knack for it every time I want to skip, just because I don't do it enough.

Practice and Patience

I got the opportunity once to fish an Open with Todd Castledine on Lew. It was absolutely amazing how that dude could skip docks. I just sat there in awe and watched. He was using a spinning reel with light braid. I still wake up with hot flashes thinking about that day.

It also helps to ill the spool only half way until you get the habg of it. The main thing that helped me was using a rod with a good tip.

Can you explain this tape trick?

Make a cast, take a small piece of tape, tape down the string in your spool. That way if you mess up and backlash it won't go beyond the tape.